Source: Stepfeed
By: Leyal Khalife

If you’re an avid fan of historic sites, you probably know how important the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list is.

Each year, UNESCO determines a number of new sites to be granted ‘World Heritage’ status based on six cultural and four natural criteria. In the list’s 2017 update, three Middle Eastern locations have been chosen for having an “outstanding universal value.”

This year’s update saw the global body add 21 sites, which will be made official during the 41st annual World Heritage Committee session in Poland.

These three Middle Eastern locations are a definite must-add to your Middle Eastern heritage sites bucket list.

Earlier this month, UNESCO marked the old city of Hebron in the West Bank as a Palestinian World Heritage Site, a decision that was denounced by Israel.

During the voting process, 12 countries on the world heritage committee voted in favor of the Palestinian request. Three voted against it, while six abstained, according to The Guardian.

Granting Hebron a ‘World Heritage’ status is definitely something we’ve all been waiting for.

Located in the historic region of western Anatolia, Turkey – Aprhodisias is an archaeological site, set in an earthquake zone.

The site is widely known for its marble quarries.

“The extraordinary preservation of the city’s marble architecture have led scholars to assign these quarries and the marble industry in general a prominent role in Aphrodisias’s history,” Professor of classical archaeology Leah E. Long once wrote.

The former ancient Greek city was named after Aphrodite – the Greek goddess of love.

Yazd is known as the center of Persian architecture and has often been associated with the nickname, “City of Windcatchers.”

The city is also one of the largest built almost entirely out of adobe. Its addition to the World Heritage List is long overdue.

The Middle East and North Africa are home to a number of World Heritage Sites.

From the Pearling Trail in Bahrain – a 3.5 km trail located on the island of Muharraq – to Qadisha Valley in Lebanon – one of the most important early Christian monastic settlements in the world – the region’s history deserves recognition and exploration.

So, don’t wait any longer, get moving!